서론
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英文原文
This psalm, as the two former, is a triumphant song; some think it was penned on occasion of Jehoshaphat's victory (2Ch 20:1-30), others of Sennacherib's defeat, when his army laid siege to Jerusalem in Hezekiah's time; but, for aught I know, it might be penned by David upon occasion of some eminent victory obtained in his time; yet not so calculated for that but that it might serve any other similar occasion in aftertimes, and be applicable also to the glories of the gospel church, of which Jerusalem was a type, especially when it shall come to be a church triumphant, the "heavenly Jerusalem" (Heb 12:22), "the Jerusalem which is above," Ga 4:26. Jerusalem is here praised, I. For its relation to God, Ps 48:1,2. II. For God's care of it, Ps 48:3. III. For the terror it strikes upon its enemies, Ps 48:4-7. IV. For the pleasure it gives to its friends, who delight to think, 1. Of what God has done, does, and will do for it, Ps 48:3. 2. Of the gracious discoveries he makes of himself in and for that holy city, Ps 48:9,10. 3. Of the effectual provision which is made for its safety, Ps 48:11-13. 4. Of the assurance we have of the perpetuity of God's covenant with the children of Zion, Ps 48:14. In singing this psalm we must be affected with the privilege we have as members of the gospel church, and must express and excite our sincere good-will to all its interests.
1-7
The Beauty and Strength of Zion
錫安的美麗與堅固
可拉後裔的詩歌。
¹ 耶和華本為大！在我們神的城中，在他的聖山上，該受大讚美。 ² 錫安山——大君王的城，在北麵居高華美，為全地所喜悅。 ³ 神在其宮中，自顯為避難所。 ⁴ 看哪，眾王會合，一同經過。 ⁵ 他們見了這城就詫異、驚惶，急忙逃跑。 ⁶ 在那裏，戰兢將他們抓住；他們痛苦，如同產難的婦人一樣。 ⁷ 神啊，你用東風打破他施的船隻。
詩人有意要讚美耶路撒冷，述說那城的宏偉；但他以讚美神和他的偉大為開始（詩 48:1），也以讚美神和他的良善為結束（詩 48:14）。因為無論我們讚美的主題是甚麼，神必須是它的阿拉法、也是它的俄梅戛。特別是：無論甚麼話是為教會的尊榮而說的，都必歸榮耀給教會的神。
此處為耶路撒冷的尊榮所說的話，乃是：
一、天上的王承認她：她*「是我們神的城」（詩 48:1），是他從以色列一切城邑中所揀選、要在那裏立他名的。關於錫安，他說了比地上任何地方都更恩慈的話：「這是我永遠安息之所！我要住在這裏，因為這是我所願意的」（詩 132:13-14）。她是「大君王的城」（詩 48:2）——全地的大君王樂意特別地宣告他在那裏臨在。我們的救主引用此話，證明指著耶路撒冷起誓，就是褻瀆地指著神自己起誓（太 5:35），「因為這是大君王的城」——他揀選她作他恩典特別的居所，正如天是他榮耀的居所一般。1. 她以認識神之光照亮。「在猶大，神為人所認識；他的名在以色列為大」——尤其在耶路撒冷，就是祭司的總部，祭司的嘴唇當存記這知識。在耶路撒冷「神為大」（詩 48:1）——他在別處被輕看、被抹殺。那國、那城、那家、那心是有福的——在其中神為大，在其中他居首位，在其中他是一切。在那裏「神為人所認識」（詩 48:3），他在哪裏被認識，就在哪裏為大；除了那些不認識他的人之外，沒有人輕看神。2. 她獻給神的尊榮。她因此被稱為「他的聖山」——因為「歸耶和華為聖」銘刻在她和她的一切器皿上（亞 14:20）。這是基督教會的特權——她是「聖潔的國度、獨特的子民」；作為其預表的耶路撒冷被稱為「聖城」——無論她多麼敗壞（太 27:53），直到那（福音教會）被建立為止；但建立之後，便不再如此稱呼她了。3. 她是為事奉和敬拜神所設立的地方；在那裏他大受讚美，並「該受大讚美」（詩 48:1）。請注意：神和他的偉大向我們顯明得越清楚，我們就當越發在他的讚美上充足。那些從全國各地帶著祭物來到耶路撒冷的人，有理由感謝神——他不僅容許他們如此來侍候他，更應許悅納他們、帶著賜福與他們相會，並視自己因他們的事奉而被讚美、得尊榮。耶路撒冷在此預表福音教會；因為神從這地土所得的一點讚美祭物，都是從地上的那個教會而來——她因此就是他在世人中間的帳幕。4. 她被他特別保護（詩 48:3）：「他……自顯為避難所」——就是說，他已證明自己是這樣的一位，敬拜他的人也在那裏如此投靠他。那些認識他的人必「倚靠他、尋求他」（詩 9:10）。神不僅在耶路撒冷的街市上、甚至在她的宮殿裏，也被認識為避難所；那些達官貴人也投靠神、與他相交。當宗教在宮殿中掌權之時，便可能在城中興旺。5. 因這一切，耶路撒冷、尤其是建有聖殿的錫安山，便普遍被人愛慕欽佩——「居高華美……為全地所喜悅」（詩 48:2）。那地理位置必是各方麵都合宜的，因為無限的智慧揀選它作聖所的所在；而使它美麗的，乃是它是聖山——因為聖潔之中有美麗。這地因罪而滿了醜陋，因此那一塊如此以聖潔妝飾的地土，理所當然被稱為「全地所喜悅的」*——即全地都有理由為之喜樂的——因為神果真在地上與人同住。錫安山在耶路撒冷的北麵，如此便成為城的遮蔽，擋住從那方吹來的寒冷淒涼的風；或者說，若指望從北方得著晴朗的天氣，他們便如此被引導向錫安那方觀望。
二、地上的君王都怕她。關於神在他們的宮殿裏被認識為避難所，他們剛剛有了一個新近的、極為奇妙的例子。無論那是甚麼，1. 他們曾大有理由懼怕他們的仇敵；因為*「眾王會合」（詩 48:4）。鄰近的君王結盟攻擊耶路撒冷；他們的首領和勢力、他們的計謀和權能，都聯合起來要毀滅她；他們帶著全部兵力會合；他們經過、推進、一同行軍，毫不懷疑自己很快就要成為那城的主人——那城本當為全地所喜悅，如今卻成了全地的嫉妒。2. 神使他們的仇敵懼怕他們。單單看見耶路撒冷，便使他們大為驚惶、遏止了他們的凶焰——正如雅各的帳幕使巴蘭看見，便嚇得不敢咒詛以色列一般（民 24:2）：「他們見了這城就詫異、驚惶，急忙逃跑」（詩 48:5）。不是「我來、我看見、我征服」；相反，乃是「我來、我看見、我被擊敗」。這並不是因為在耶路撒冷有甚麼非常可怖的東西可看；而是看見它便使他們想起所聽過的關於神在那城特別臨在、以及她所受的神聖保護，神便藉此在他們心中印下恐怖，使他們倉皇退去。他們雖是君王，雖然結盟人數眾多，卻自知不能與全能者匹敵；因此「戰兢將他們抓住……痛苦」（詩 48:6）。請注意：神能使他教會最頑強的仇敵喪膽，並速速使那些安逸度日的人陷入痛苦。他們看見耶路撒冷所受的驚恐，在此被比作婦人生產的陣痛——劇烈而痛苦，有時突然來到（帖前 5:3），無可避免，並且是罪和咒詛的結果。他們對耶路撒冷的圖謀因此所受的挫敗，被比作一支船隊遭遇猛烈風暴——有的被擊碎、有的被打爛、全被驅散（詩 48:7）：「你用東風打破他施的船隻」——海上的艦隊就是如此暴露。神的可畏被比作東風（伯 27:20-21）；這必使他們混亂，並打破他們一切的計謀。「誰曉得神忿怒的權能呢？」*
英文原文
The Beauty and Strength of Zion
A song and psalm for the sons of Korah.
¹ Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness.
² Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.
³ God is known in her palaces for a refuge.
⁴ For, lo, the kings were assembled, they passed by together.
⁵ They saw it, and so they marvelled; they were troubled, and hasted away.
⁶ Fear took hold upon them there, and pain, as of a woman in travail.
⁷ Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east wind.
The psalmist is designing to praise Jerusalem and to set forth the grandeur of that city; but he begins with the praises of God and his greatness (Ps 48:1), and ends with the praises of God and his goodness, Ps 48:14. For, whatever is the subject of our praises, God must be both the Alpha and Omega of them. And, particularly, whatever is said to the honour of the church must redound to the honour of the church's God.
What is here said to the honour of Jerusalem is,
I. That the King of heaven owns it: it is the city of our God (Ps 48:1), which he chose out of all the cities of Israel to put his name there. Of Zion he said kinder things than ever he said of place upon earth. This is my rest for ever; here will I dwell, for I have desired it, Ps 132:13,14. It is the city of the great King (Ps 48:2), the King of all the earth, who is pleased to declare himself in a special manner present there. This our Saviour quotes to prove that to swear by Jerusalem is profanely to swear by God himself (Mt 5:35), for it is the city of the great King, who has chosen it for the special residence of his grace, as heaven is of his glory. 1. It is enlightened with the knowledge of God. In Judah God is known, and his name is great, but especially in Jerusalem, the head-quarters of the priests, whose lips were to keep this knowledge. In Jerusalem God is great (Ps 48:1) who in other places was made little of, was made nothing of. Happy the kingdom, the city, the family, the heart, in which God is great, in which he is uppermost, in which he is all. There God is known (Ps 48:3) and where he is known he will be great; none contemn God but those that are ignorant of him. 2. It is devoted to the honour of God. It is therefore called the mountain of his holiness, for holiness to the Lord is written upon it and all the furniture of it, Zec 14:20. This is the privilege of the church of Christ, that it is a holy nation, a peculiar people; Jerusalem, the type of it, is called the holy city, bad as it was (Mt 27:53), till that was set up, but never after. 3. It is the place appointed for the solemn service and worship of God; there he is greatly praised, and greatly to be praised, Ps 48:1. Note, The clearer discoveries are made to us of God and his greatness the more it is expected that we should abound in his praises. Those that from all parts of the country brought their offerings to Jerusalem had reason to be thankful that God would not only permit them thus to attend him, but promise to accept them, and meet them with a blessing, and reckon himself praised and honoured by their services. Herein Jerusalem typified the gospel church; for what little tribute of praise God has from this earth arises from that church upon earth, which is therefore his tabernacle among men. 4. It is taken under his special protection (Ps 48:3): He is known for a refuge; that is, he has approved himself such a one, and as such a one he is there applied to by his worshippers. Those that know him will trust in him, and seek to him, Ps 9:10. God was known, not only in the streets, but even in the palaces of Jerusalem, for a refuge; the great men had recourse to God and acquaintance with him. And then religion was likely to flourish in the city when it reigned in the palaces. 5. Upon all these accounts, Jerusalem, and especially Mount Zion, on which the temple was built, were universally beloved and admired—beautiful for situation, and the joy of the whole earth, Ps 48:2. The situation must needs be every way agreeable, when Infinite Wisdom chose it for the place of the sanctuary; and that which made it beautiful was that it was the mountain of holiness, for there is a beauty in holiness. This earth is, by sin, covered with deformity, and therefore justly might that spot of ground which was thus beautified with holiness he called the joy of the whole earth, that is, what the whole earth had reason to rejoice in, that God would thus in very deed dwell with man upon the earth. Mount Zion was on the north side of Jerusalem, and so was a shelter to the city from the cold and bleak winds that blew from that quarter; or, if fair weather was expected out of the north, they were thus directed to look Zion-ward for it.
II. That the kings of the earth were afraid of it. That God was known in their palaces for a refuge they had had a late instance, and a very remarkable one. Whatever it was, 1. They had had but too much occasion to fear their enemies; for the kings were assembled, Ps 48:4. The neighbouring princes were confederate against Jerusalem; their heads and horns, their policies and powers, were combined for its ruin; they were assembled with all their forces; they passed, advanced, and marched on together, not doubting but they should soon make themselves masters of that city which should have been the joy, but was the envy of the whole earth. 2. God made their enemies to fear them. The very sight of Jerusalem struck them into a consternation and gave check to their fury, as the sight of the tents of Jacob frightened Balaam from his purpose to curse Israel (Nu 24:2): They saw it and marvelled, and hasted away, Ps 48:5. Not Veni, vidi, vici—I came, I saw, I conquered; but, on the contrary, Veni vidi victus sum—I came, I saw, I was defeated. Not that there was any thing to be seen in Jerusalem that was so very formidable; but the sight of it brought to mind what they had heard concerning the special presence of God in that city and the divine protection it was under, and God impressed such terrors on their minds thereby as made them retire with precipitation. Though they were kings, though they were many in confederacy, yet they knew themselves an unequal match for Omnipotence, and therefore fear came upon them, and pain, Ps 48:6. Note, God can dispirit the stoutest of his church's enemies, and soon put those in pain that live at ease. The fright they were in upon the sight of Jerusalem is here compared to the throes of a woman in travail, which are sharp and grievous, which sometimes come suddenly (1Th 5:3), which cannot be avoided, and which are effects of sin and the curse. The defeat hereby given to their designs upon Jerusalem is compared to the dreadful work made with a fleet of ships by a violent storm, when some are split, others shattered, all dispersed (Ps 48:7): Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east wind; effects at sea lie thus exposed. The terrors of God are compared to an east wind (Job 27:20,21); these shall put them into confusion, and break all their measures. Who knows the power of God's anger?
8-14
God's Care of His Church
神對他教會的看顧
⁸ 我們在萬軍之耶和華的城中，就是我們神的城中，所看見的，正如我們所聽見的；神必堅立這城，直到永遠。〔細拉〕 ⁹ 神啊，我們在你的殿中，想念你的慈愛。 ¹⁰ 神啊，你受的讚美正與你的名相稱，直到地極；你的右手滿了公義。 ¹¹ 願錫安山歡喜，願猶大的女子快樂，因你的判斷。 ¹² 你們當周遊錫安，四圍旋繞她，數點城樓。 ¹³ 細看她的外郭，察看她的宮殿，為要傳說到後代。 ¹⁴ 因為這神永永遠遠是我們的神；他必作我們的引導，直到死時。
我們在此看見神的百姓受教當如何善用神近日為他們攻擊仇敵所作那榮耀、有恩的顯現，好叫這些作為為他們的益處效力。
I. 願我們對神話語的信心因此得著堅固。我們若將神所作的與他所說的相比，便會發現正如我們所聽見的，我們也看見了（詩48:8），我們所看見的也使我們不得不相信我們所聽見的。 1. 「正如我們在從前的護理、在古時的日子所聽見神所行的，我們在自己這個時代也看見了。」請注意，神後來為他百姓攻擊他和百姓仇敵所作的顯現，與他從前的顯現相符，也當使我們記念那些顯現。 2. 「正如我們在應許和預言中所聽見的，我們在成全和應驗中也看見了。我們聽見神是萬軍之耶和華，耶路撒冷是我們神的城，為他所寶愛，是他特別的看顧；如今我們看見了；我們看見了我們神的大能；我們看見了他的良善；我們看見了他對我們的看顧和關切，知道他是耶路撒冷四圍的火城，並作其中的榮耀。」請注意，在神為他教會所作、並正在作的大事中，留心聖經的應驗是好的；這也能幫助我們更明白那護理本身，以及在其中應驗的聖經。
II. 願我們對教會穩固與長存的盼望因此得著鼓勵。「從我們在我們神的城中所看見的，與我們所聽見的相比，我們可以斷定神必堅立它，直到永遠。」這事並未在耶路撒冷應驗（那城早已被毀，一切的榮耀盡都塵封），卻在福音教會中得著成全。我們確知那教會必永遠堅立；它建造在磐石上，陰間的門不能勝過它（太16:18）。神自己已經承擔了它的堅立；建立錫安的是耶和華（賽14:32）。我們所看見的與所聽見的相比，能鼓勵我們信靠教會建立於其上的那個神的應許。
III. 願我們的心思因此充滿對神的美善思想。「從我們所聽見、所看見、並所盼望的，我們可以抓住機會，每逢在你的殿中聚集之時，多多思念神的慈愛」（詩48:9）。一切流到我們這裏的憐憫之河，都必須追溯到神慈愛的泉源。這不是因我們有任何功勞，純粹是因他的憐憫和他對百姓獨特的恩寵。所以我們當以喜樂思念，常常而堅定地思念。我們還能停留在甚麼更高貴、更愉快、更有益的題目上呢？我們必須常常把神的慈愛擺在我們眼前（詩26:3），特別是在我們於他殿中事奉他的時候。當我們不受干擾地享受公共典章的益處，當我們在他的殿中聚集而沒有人使我們害怕之時，我們便當抓住機會思念他的慈愛。
IV. 讓我們將他為我們所作的大事歸榮耀給神，並為尊崇他而述說這些事（詩48:10）：「神啊，你受的讚美正與你的名相稱——不僅在耶路撒冷，更是直到地極。」神藉著近日對耶路撒冷奇妙的拯救，為自己得了名——就是說，他榮耀地彰顯了自己的智慧、能力和良善，使周圍列國都深覺此事；他的讚美也是如此——就是說，在各處都有人照樣將榮耀歸給他。他的名傳到何處，他的讚美也必傳到何處——至少應當傳到，並且至終必傳到——那時地的四極都要讚美他（詩22:27；啟11:15）。有人把他的名特別理解為他那榮耀的名——萬軍之耶和華；照著那個名，他的讚美也是如此；因為一切受造之物，甚至到地極，都在他的命令之下。但他的百姓必特別在他為他們所作的一切事上承認他的公義。「公義充滿你的右手」——就是說，你能力的一切作為都與永恆的公正法則相符。
V. 願教會一切個別的成員，都從神為他教會整體所作的事中取自己的安慰（詩48:11）：「願錫安山歡喜——就是侍奉聖所的祭司和利未人；然後願猶大一切的女子——就是鄉鎮和其中的居民——都快樂；願婦女們在她們的歌唱和跳舞中（這是公眾喜樂之時常有的），以感恩來慶祝神為我們所成就的大拯救。」請注意，當我們已經將讚美歸給神之時，我們便可取教會非常的解救之樂，並因神的判斷（就是他護理的作為）而快樂——這一切我們都可看見是在智慧中作成的（所以稱為判斷），並且為他教會的益處效力。
VI. 讓我們殷勤觀察教會之美、力量與安全的證據與例證，並忠實地將我們的觀察傳給後代（詩48:12-13）：你們當周遊錫安。有人以為這是指著凱旋的禮儀說的；願那些在這莊嚴之事中有分的人繞著城牆行走（正如他們在尼12:31所行的），歌唱讚美神。在這樣行的時候，當數點城樓，細看外郭： 1. 為要彰顯神近日為他們所行那奇妙的拯救。願他們帶著驚奇觀察：城樓與外郭都保持完整的力量，一座也沒有受損；宮殿保持其華美，一座也沒有瑕疵；聚集攻擊這城的君王們（詩48:4）連絲毫的損害也沒有加於這城：當將這事傳給後代——作為神看他聖城何等看顧的奇妙例證，仇敵不但不能毀壞、不能消滅它，甚至不能傷害它、不能損毀它。 2. 為要使自己在將來面對類似威脅的危險時能剛強，不畏懼。如此， （1）我們可以按字面理解為耶路撒冷和錫安的保障。願猶大的女子們以喜樂觀看錫安的城樓和外郭——這喜樂與她們的仇敵君王觀看時的恐懼相等（詩48:5）。耶路撒冷普遍被視為堅不可摧之地，正如哀4:12所顯明的：地上的萬王曾不相信仇敵能進入耶路撒冷的城門；若不是居民因犯罪而失掉了自己的保障，仇敵本不能進入。當把你們的心放在她的外郭上。這表明錫安主要的保障不是肉眼可見、可以眼觀的對象，而是信心所把握、必須以心去放的對象。誠然它既有天然、也有人工的堅固；但它最可靠的保障，乃是神在其中特別的同在、他所賜聖潔的美麗，以及他所賜關乎它的應許。「當考量耶路撒冷的力量，並傳給後代，使他們不作任何削弱它的事；又使它在任何時候遭遇患難之時，他們不至卑鄙地把它當作不能防守而拱手讓給仇敵。」加爾文在此觀察到：當他們受命把耶路撒冷的城樓、外郭、宮殿的詳細情形傳給後裔時，這暗示這些到時候都要被毀，不再存留供人觀看；否則，何必保存它們的描述與歷史呢？當門徒們讚嘆聖殿的建築之時，他們的主告訴他們，不久它的一塊石頭也不留在石頭上（太24:1-2）。所以， （2）這話必定應用於福音教會——就是那錫安山（來12:22）。「當考量它的城樓、外郭和宮殿，好吸引並鼓勵你們與它聯合、投身其中。看它建立在基督這磐石上，因神的大能而堅固，受那不打盹也不睡覺者的護衛。看何等寶貴的典章是它的宮殿，何等寶貴的應許是它的外郭；當將這事傳給後代，使他們能立定心意擁護它的權益，並緊緊聯於它。」
VII. 讓我們在神裏面、並在他永遠慈愛的確據中得勝（詩48:14）。當將這事傳給後代；當把這真理當作神聖的託付傳給你的後裔：那位如今為我們行了如此大事的這位神，永永遠遠是我們的神；他在對我們的愛和看顧上，是堅定不變的。 1. 神若作我們的神，他便永遠是我們的——不僅經過時間的一切世代，更是直到永遠；因為得榮耀之聖徒永遠的福樂，就是神要親自與他們同在，作他們的神（啟21:3）。 2. 他若作我們的神，他便作我們的引導——作我們信實、不變的引導，為我們指明當走的路，並引領我們在其中；他必如此，直到死時——死乃是我們路程的終點，要把我們帶到我們的安息。他必引領並保守我們直到末了。他必作我們的引導，在死之上（有人如此理解）——他必如此引導我們，使我們置於死所不能及之處，使它不能加害我們。他必作我們的引導，經過死而到死的那邊（另有人如此理解）——他必安全地引我們到死那邊的福樂，到一個不再有死亡的生命裏。我們若以主為我們的神，他必安全地引導並護送我們到死、經過死、並越過死——下到死而再上升到榮耀。
英文原文
God's Care of His Church
⁸ As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the LORD of hosts, in the city of our God: God will establish it for ever. Selah.
⁹ We have thought of thy lovingkindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple.
¹⁰ According to thy name, O God, so is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: thy right hand is full of righteousness.
¹¹ Let mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of thy judgments.
¹² Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof.
¹³ Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following.
¹⁴ For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.
We have here the good use and improvement which the people of God are taught to make of his late glorious and gracious appearances for them against their enemies, that they might work for their good.
I. Let our faith in the word of God be hereby confirmed. If we compare what God has done with what he has spoken, we shall find that, as we have heard, so have we seen (Ps 48:8), and what we have seen obliges us to believe what we have heard. 1. "As we have heard done in former providences, in the days of old, so have we seen done in our own days." Note, God's latter appearances for his people against his and their enemies are consonant to his former appearances, and should put us in mind of them. 2. "As we have heard in the promise and prediction, so have we seen in the performance and accomplishment. We have heard that God is the Lord of hosts, and that Jerusalem is the city of our God, is dear to him, is his particular care; and now we have seen it; we have seen the power of our God; we have seen his goodness; we have seen his care and concern for us, that he is a wall of fire round about Jerusalem and the glory in the midst of her." Note, In the great things that God has done, and is doing, for his church, it is good to take notice of the fulfilling of the scriptures; and this would help us the better to understand both the providence itself and the scripture that is fulfilled in it.
II. Let our hope of the stability and perpetuity of the church be hereby encouraged. "From what we have seen, compared with what we have heard, in the city of our God, we may conclude that God will establish it for ever." This was not fulfilled in Jerusalem (that city was long since destroyed, and all its glory laid in the dust), but has its accomplishment in the gospel church. We are sure that that shall be established for ever; it is built upon a rock, and the gates of hell cannot prevail against it, Mt 16:18. God himself has undertaken the establishment of it; it is the Lord that has founded Zion, Isa 14:32. And what we have seen, compared with what we have heard, may encourage us to hope in that promise of God upon which the church is built.
III. Let our minds be hereby filled with good thoughts of God. "From what we have heard, and seen, and hope for, we may take occasion to think much of God's loving-kindness, whenever we meet in the midst of his temple," Ps 48:9. All the streams of mercy that flow down to us must be traced up to the fountain of God's lovingkindness. It is not owing to any merit of ours, but purely to his mercy, and the peculiar favour he bears to his people. This therefore we must think of with delight, think of frequently and fixedly. What subject can we dwell upon more noble, more pleasant, more profitable? We must have God's lovingkindness always before our eyes (Ps 26:3), especially when we attend upon him in his temple. When we enjoy the benefit of public ordinances undisturbed, when we meet in his temple and there is none to make us afraid, we should take occasion thence to think of his lovingkindness.
IV. Let us give to God the glory of the great things which he has done for us, and mention them to his honour (Ps 48:10): "According to thy name, O God! so is thy praise, not only in Jerusalem, but to the ends of the earth." By the late signal deliverance of Jerusalem God had made himself a name; that is, he had gloriously discovered his wisdom, power, and goodness, and made all the nations about sensible of it; and so was his praise; that is, some in all parts would be found giving glory to him accordingly. As far as his name goes his praise will go, at least it should go, and, at length, it shall go, when all the ends of the world shall praise him, Ps 22:27, Re 11:15. Some, by his name, understand especially that glorious name of his, the Lord of hosts; according to that name, so is his praise; for all the creatures, even to the ends of the earth, are under his command. But his people must, in a special manner, acknowledge his justice in all he does for them. "Righteousness fills thy right hand;" that is, all the operations of thy power are consonant to the eternal rules of equity.
V. Let all the members of the church in particular take to themselves the comfort of what God does for his church in general (Ps 48:11): "Let Mount Zion rejoice, the priests and Levites that attend the sanctuary, and then let all the daughters of Judah, the country towns, and the inhabitants of them, be glad: let the women in their songs and dances, as usual on occasion of public joys, celebrate with thankfulness the great salvation which God has wrought for us." Note, When we have given God the praise we may then take the pleasure of the extraordinary deliverances of the church, and be glad because of God's judgments (that is, the operations of his providence), all which we may see wrought in wisdom (therefore called judgments) and working for the good of his church.
VI. Let us diligently observe the instances and evidences of the church's beauty, strength, and safety, and faithfully transmit our observations to those that shall come after us (Ps 48:12,13): Walk about Zion. Some think this refers to the ceremony of the triumph; let those who are employed in that solemnity walk round the walls (as they did, Ne 12:31), singing and praising God. In doing this let them tell the towers and mark well the bulwarks, 1. That they might magnify the late wonderful deliverance God had wrought for them. Let them observe, with wonder, that the towers and bulwarks are all in their full strength and none of them damaged, the palaces in their beauty and none of them blemished; there is not the least damage done to the city by the kings that were assembled against it (Ps 48:4): Tell this to the generation following, as a wonderful instance of God's care of his holy city, that the enemies should not only not ruin or destroy it, but not so much as hurt or deface it. 2. That they might fortify themselves against the fear of the like threatening danger another time. And so, (1.) We may understand it literally of Jerusalem, and the strong-hold of Zion. Let the daughters of Judah see the towers and bulwarks of Zion, with a pleasure equal to the terror with which the kings their enemies saw them, Ps 48:5. Jerusalem was generally looked upon as an impregnable place, as appears, La 4:12. All the inhabitants of the world would not have believed that an enemy should enter the gates of Jerusalem; nor could they have entered if the inhabitants had not sinned away their defence. Set your heart to her bulwarks. This intimates that the principal bulwarks of Zion were not the objects of sense, which they might set their eye upon, but the objects of faith, which they must set their hearts upon. It was well enough fortified indeed both by nature and art; but its bulwarks that were mostly to be relied upon were the special presence of God in it, the beauty of holiness he had put upon it, and the promises he had made concerning it. "Consider Jerusalem's strength, and tell it to the generations to come, that they may do nothing to weaken it, and that, if at any time it be in distress, they may not basely surrender it to the enemy as not tenable." Calvin observes here that when they are directed to transmit to posterity a particular account of the towers, and bulwarks, and palaces of Jerusalem, it is intimated that in process of time they would all be destroyed and remain no longer to be seen; for, otherwise, what need was there to preserve the description and history of them? When the disciples were admiring the buildings of the temple their Master told them that in a little time one stone of it should not be left upon another, Mt 24:1,2. Therefore, (2.) This must certainly be applied to the gospel church, that Mount Zion, Heb 12:22. "Consider the towers, and bulwarks, and palaces of that, that you may be invited and encouraged to join yourselves to it and embark in it. See it founded on Christ, the rock fortified by the divine power, guarded by him that neither slumbers nor sleeps. See what precious ordinances are its palaces, what precious promises are its bulwarks; tell this to the generation following, that they may with purpose of heart espouse its interests and cleave to it."
VII. Let us triumph in God, and in the assurances we have of his everlasting lovingkindness, Ps 48:14. Tell this to the generation following; transmit this truth as a sacred deposit to your posterity, That this God, who has now done such great things for us, is our God for ever and ever; he is constant and unchangeable in his love to us and care for us. 1. If God be our God, he is ours for ever, not only through all the ages of time, but to eternity; for it is the everlasting blessedness of glorified saints that God himself will be with them and will be their God, Re 21:3. 2. If he be our God, he will be our guide, our faithful constant guide, to show us our way and to lead us in it; he will be so, even unto death, which will be the period of our way, and will bring us to our rest. He will lead and keep us even to the last. He will be our guide above death (so some); he will so guide us as to set us above the reach of death, so that it shall not be able to do us any real hurt. He will be our guide beyond death (so others); he will conduct us safely to a happiness on the other side death, to a life in which there shall be no more death. If we take the Lord for our God, he will conduct and convey us safely to death, through death, and beyond death—down to death and up again to glory.
本篇與前兩篇一樣是得勝的詩歌；有人認為它是因約沙法的得勝而作（代下 20:1-30），有人則認為是因西拿基立敗退而作——當時他的軍隊在希西家年間圍攻耶路撒冷；但據我所知，它也可能是大衛因當代某一顯赫的勝利而作；然而此詩並非僅為當時而寫，乃可適用於後世任何類似的場合，也可應用於福音教會的榮耀——耶路撒冷正是其預表，特別是當教會成為得勝的教會、成為「天上的耶路撒冷」（來 12:22）、「在上的耶路撒冷」（加 4:26）之時。此處耶路撒冷受讚美：一、因她與神的關係（詩 48:1,2）；二、因神對她的看顧（詩 48:3）；三、因她使仇敵驚惶（詩 48:4-7）；四、因她賜喜樂給愛她的人，他們樂於思念：1. 神已為她作的、正作的、將要作的（詩 48:3）；2. 神在那聖城之內、並為那聖城所作恩典的彰顯（詩 48:9,10）；3. 為她的安全所設立的有效保障（詩 48:11-13）；4. 我們對神與錫安之子所立之約永存的確據（詩 48:14）。我們唱這詩時，當因自己作為福音教會一員的特權而受感動，並當表達並激發對教會一切利益的真誠善意。